IT’S going to be a busy holiday period for wife and husband fishers Chloe and Tom Laurence, as they take their new Verado-powered Haines Hunter chasing kingfish and marlin off the south coast of New South Wales.
“We are very happy with the new boat and engine package, so we’re going to be doing a lot of fishing…that is when we’re not taking the family out for joyrides,” Tom smiled.
The Haines Hunter 675 Offshore is the couple’s new boat and it has a lot of work ahead of it. The pair are planning a big push during the upcoming marlin season, and will be using it for some of the major game fishing tournaments along the way.
“We have 20 hours on the big 300HP Verado so far and we have been impressed with the quietness of the engine as well as the raw power and hole shot,” Tom said.
The boat – which weighs in at more than two tonnes with fuel, water and six adults – is no trouble for the six-cylinder Verado which pushes it to a top speed of more than 46 knots (85 km/h).
“With this engine, cruising is effortless at 4000 RPM and 27 knots, meaning Tom and I can travel well offshore searching for marlin, tuna and swordfish and still come home with plenty of fuel left in the tank,” Chloe said.
“We had a Mercury 150 FourStroke on our last boat and it was really, noticeably quiet. This is a bigger engine but the Verados are legendary, not just for power and reliability, but for being super quiet – much, much quieter than you’d expect.”
In addition, Mercury’s SmartCraft Digital Throttle and Shift (DTS) system offers smooth, instantaneous, quiet shifting and ultra-responsive throttle control so the Haines Hunter 675 goes exactly where directed.
“The engine totally complements the boat, with a soft ride and a great driving experience in a cockpit that stands out,” Tom said.
A talented fisher with numerous tournament wins to her name, Chloe only started fishing as an adult but has quickly become one of the most recognisable female anglers in the country, and she now splits her time between fishing, writing, photographing and running her website.
Like his wife, Tom is passionate about fishing having started fishing at an early age with his dad on the North Coast of NSW.
To see all of Chloe and Tom’s adventures in their new boat, check out www.facebook.com/Chloelaurence.shefishes/
